Morrisons plans Wakefield warehouse closure, says union

Union Unite has claimed that Morrisons' plans to restructure operations at its Wakefield DC, revealed earlier this week, include the closure of a warehouse and changes to workers' hours.

It said the supermarket hopes to close one of its warehouses at the Junction 41 DC, potentially making up to 100 warehouse staff redundant.

The union made claims that Morrisons also wants to reduce hours for some warehouse staff from 45 to 40, possibly switching some from night to day shifts.

Changes to drivers’ shift patterns could also be made to improve flexibility at the site, it claimed.

Unite regional officer Sarah Mitchell said the union is continuing talks with Morrisons, about its plans for the site, which employs around 1,200 staff. Around 1,000 are union members.

“Unite will be fighting very hard on behalf of our members to mitigate the impact of these job losses which are devastating for those whose employment is under threat and for the Wakefield economy more generally,” she added.

A spokeswoman for Morrisons said it hopes to improve efficiency at the site while minimising the number of job losses by offering alternative roles at the supermarket to those affected.